Refuse incinerating furnace



Jan, 31, 193%. T. J. HILER 2,1452% REFUSE INCINERATING FURNACE FiledJuly 13,. 1934 7 Shets-Sheet l 1N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Themasi/W'Yen 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY.

T. J. HILER REFUSE INCINERATING FURNACE Filed July 13, 1934 Jan. 31,1939.

R E m H IJ T REFUSE INCINERATING FURNACE Filed July 15, 1934 7Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. 7770/7705 J. M/er".

ATTORNEY.

Jan. 31, 1939. T. J. HILER REFUSE INCINERATING FURNACE Filed July 13,.1.934 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 I R. E; Md m m w 7 ATTORNEY.

REFUSE INCINERATI-NG FURNACE Filed July 15; 1954 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Jan. 31, W39. T. J. HILER REFUSE INCINERATING FURNACE Filed July 13,1934 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 All: v

; QJTOR. a. 159/6? ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 31, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFUSE INCINERATINGFURNACE Application July 13, 1934, Serial No. 734,913

7 Claims.

The invention relates to incinerator furnaces and relates moreparticularly to a new and improved dumping grate structure for refuseincinerators, as well as providing for improved combustion within andthe discharge of material from said furnace.

The use and operation of large incinerator furnaces which involve thehandling and disposal of considerable quantities of municipal refusematerial, has heretofore presented certain serious disadvantages whichthis invention is designed to obviate. The relatively large size of thefurnace requires the presence of a correspondingly large grate structureand the weight of the material in the combustion chamber which issupported by the grate, renders it difiicult to obtain eificient andperiodic dumping of the grate to discharge the consumed residue ofmaterials as desired from the furnace. In order to compensate for theweight of the materials supported by the grate, the dumping portion ofthe latter has heretofore constituted a relatively small proportionatearea of the entire grate of the refuse incinerator. While promoting easeof operation in the manipulation of the dumping grate portion, sucharrangement is objectionable for the reason that a considerable quantityof the materials are not discharged but are retained in the combustionchamber by the stationary portions of the grate. This results in undueclogging of the furnace and otherwise interferes with efiicientoperation of the same and necessitates shutting down at frequentintervals to permit the combustion chamber to be cleared of accumulatedand burned residue. Were the dumping section of the grate made of largeenough area to constitute practically the entire grate section, thedischarge from the furnace would be efiicient and complete, but theeffort required for operation of the grate would be excessive by reasonof the weight of the entire contents of the combustion chamber beingsupported by the dumping grate. To reduce the size of the gratenecessitates a corresponding reduction in the size of the furnace, andthis is objectionable for the reason that large incinerator furnaces arenecessary to adequately care for the voluminous quantities of municipalref-use.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of anincinerator furnace in which a larger dumping grate structure isdesigned for manipulation with a minimum of effort and in which theentire weight of the refuse is not supported by the dumping portion ofthe grate. The grate is otherwise designed to direct the remainingportions of the refuse toward said dumping grate section to insure thecomplete discharge of the materials from the combustion chamber whendesired through the dumping portion of the grate.

A further object of the invention is the provision of control means forregulating the admission and quantity of air for supporting combustionin the furnace, thereby providing for complete incineration of thematerials within the combustion chamber as well as their completedischarge therefrom. This results in an improved incinerator furnacewhich is especially adapted for continuous operation and the disposal oflarge quantities of municipal refuse or the like.

A still further object is to provide new and improved mechanism forsupporting, balancing and operating the dumping grate structure.

In addition to the general objects recited above the invention includesamong its objects such other improvements and advantages in constructionand operation as are found to obtain in the structure and deviceshereinafter described or claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andshowing, for purposes of exemplification, a preferred form and manner inwhich the invention may be embodied and practiced, but without limitingthe claimed invention specifically to such illustrated instance orinstances:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal section on line ll of Fig. 2, and showing theimproved grate structure in plan view.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, parts of the furnacestructure being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the furnace structure taken on line3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail view in elevation of the operating lever for thedumping grate.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the grate structure asillustrated in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 5 but showing a modificationof the grate structure of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig.6.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the grate illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.

Fig. 9 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 5 but showing a still furthermodification.

In said drawings, l indicates generally the incinerator furnace having arefractory lining 2 and charging openings 3 disposed above thecombustion chamber 4 of the furnace. One wall of the incinerator, whichmay be the front Wall thereof, is preferably provided with an opening 5having a main closure member 6 and auxiliary hinged closure I. The gratestructure of the incinerator may be inspected or repaired, and thematerial being reduced may be stirred or agitated if desired through themedium of the described aperture or opening 5.

The grate structure of the incinerator consists of a plurality of spacedstationary or fixed grate bars 8 suitably supported at their oppositeends by fixed longitudinal bearing bars 9 in turn bolted to or otherwisesupporting as at I l oppositely disposed and parallel spaced transversebearing bars l0, Ina.

The bars 9 in turn are mounted in or supported by any suitable fixedportion Ha of the lower furnace structure or masonry. As best seen inFig. 2 the longitudinal bearing bars 9 are constructed to support attheir upper portions respectively the lower and inner ends of fixedfront and rear inclined grate bars 12 and l2a, the upper ends of saidinclined grate bars being supported respectively by front and rear fixeddead plate members l3 and I4 arranged adjacent to or constituting partsof the front and rear walls of the furnace. The rear dead plate memberl4 may extend for the full length of the furnace grate structure, whilethe front dead plate member 13 may constitute the lower supportingsurface of the front aperture 5. The inclined or sloping fixed gratebars l2 and |2a constitute in effect a trough to conduct and direct thematerial to be incinerated to the centrally disposed movable portion ofthe grate structure to be described, and the front stationary grate barsl2 may be in part supported against the refractory lining 2 constitutingthe front wall of the furnace or incinerator (Fig. 2).

As best seen in Fig. 1, each longitudinal hearing bar 9 is provided witha pair of spaced bearings or trunnion members l5, l5a secured thereto.The transverse bearing bars l0, Illa, are provided with centrallydisposed hubs or bearing blocks l6, 16a disposed centrally of and inhorizontal alignment with front and rear opposite pairs of fixed bearingmembers l5, 15a. A pair of aligned dumping grate members I! arepivotally mounted for swinging movement on the trunnions or bearingmembers; [5, IB and a corresponding pair of aligned dumping gratemembers I la are similarly mounted on the bearings l5a, 16a. The aligneddumping grate members i! are preferably bolted together as at H! toswing as a unit on the bearings T5, I 6 and the two grate members I laare preferably similarly secured together to swing as a unit on thebearing members [5a, 16a.

A rocker shaft I9 is journaled in bearings secured to or forming anintegral part of the transverse bearing bar Ill beneath the gratestructure and a rocker shaft I 9a is similarly journaled in suitablebearings secured to or constituting an integral part of the bearing barIlla. The outer ends of the rocker shafts l9, 19a project throughsuitable bearings in the furnace wall and each shaft has keyed orotherwise rigidly secured thereto an operating lever 20b disposed withinconvenient access on the exterior of the incinerator furnace. Thearrangement and operation of each rocker shaft with respect to connectedpairs of dumping grate sections I1 and Ha is identical and a descriptionof the operation and structural relation of the rocker shaft I!) withrespect to the dumping grate sections i! will sufiice for thecorresponding rocker shaft I 9a and grate sections Ila. A pair of spacedarms 2| are keyed to the rocker shaft l9 and each arm is provided at itsouter end with a screw threaded stem 22 which is longitudinally*iustable relative to the arm by means of a threaded lock nut or thelike 23 engaging the stem and bearing against arm 2|. The outer end ofeach stem 22 is pivotally secured as at 22a to the ends of a pair ofcompanion link members 24, the opposite ends of said links being in turnpivotally secured as at 25 to a depending ear member, one secured to orconstituting an integral part of each dumping grate section 11. Therocker shaft I9 is further provided with a pair of oppositely projectingsubstantially depending arm or lever members 26 keyed or otherwiserigidly secured to said rocker shaft and pivotally secured at theirouter ends as at 21 to a pair of companion spaced link members 28, thelower end of said link members being apertured for the receptiontherebetween of a counterweight supporting rod 29 designed to supportthereon a plurality of recessed and aligned counterweight members 39.The tendency of the counterweights 33 is to maintain dumping gratesections ll, Ila

in substantially horizontal or closed position as best seen in fulllines in Fig. 3. In such position the arms 2|, rods 22 and link members24 are in a substantially straight line constituting a toggle joint andthe tendency of the grate sections to open under load conditions isresisted by the straight and extended toggle and the weight of theelements 39 which tend to maintain the dumping grate sections horizontaland locked in closed position.

The toggle joints are prevented from breaking upwardly either by bars2411 on the grates or such means supplemented by ledges 30a to providean additional safeguard against upward breaking of the toggles. Theledges 30a are beveled at their upper parts to prevent ash accumulation.

When it is desired to dump the contents of the incinerator furnace,either or both of the rocker shafts 19, I911 are rocked on their bearingsupports by means of the operating levers 20b, the latter being withinconvenient reach of an attendant standing on the operators platform 3|on the outside of the incinerator. The weight of the parts isproportioned and balanced so that a slight exertion on the part of theoperator is sufficient to rock either or both of the shafts l9 and Kidon their respective bearings to lift the counterweights and break thetoggle mechanism at the pivotal points 22a. The companion pairs of gratesections are then swung downwardly on their hinges assisted by theweight of material supported thereby and assume the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 5. This results in a complete or partial dischargeas desired of the incinerator contents into the hopper 32, from whichthe incinerated material is conveyed or conducted to any desired pointof collection (not shown). A reverse movement of operating levers 20bstraightens the toggle mechanism and returns the respective pairs ofdumping grate sections H, Ha to closed position to receive a freshcharge of material to the combustion chamber through the chargingopening 3 of the incinerator. Preferably the outer end of each rockershaft l9, l9a. is provided with a fixed or keyed ratchet member 33adapted to be engaged by a pawl 34 .pivotally secured at 35 to anyconveniently l0- cated fixture on the exterior of the furnace wall. Thefunction of the pawl and ratchet mechanism is to maintain the respectivepairs of dumping grate sections in closed position as long as desiredafter the operating handle 20b has been swung nto closed or normalposition, without attention on the part of the operator. The gratesections may be returned to dumping position after the pawl 34 isreleased from engagement with the ratchet 33 to permit the lever 20b tobe swung to dumping position, assisted by the counterweights 30.

The angle of the inclined or sloping stationary grate sections 12, In issuch as to direct all of the material within the combustion chamber 4 ofthe incinerator toward the dumping sections I1, Ila, without manualraking, upon opening of the sections II, Ha, thereby resulting in acomplete discharge of the entire contents of the incinerator whendesired into the discharge hopper 32.

Preheated air for supporting combustion is admitted to the hopperchamber 36 beneath the grate structure through a suitable inlet 31 inthe rear wall of the furnace, the admission of said air being controlledas desired by means of a butterfly valve 38 pivotally mounted in saidaperture. From the hopper chamber the air is introduced through thegrates I I, lid and also into oppositely disposed secondary chambers 39on opposite sides of the grate structure, the admission of the air tosaid axillary chambers being controlled by butterfly or other valves 40pivotally mounted in the entrance openings of said chambers. If desiredthe secondary air chamber 39 may consist of a single endless or annularchamber completely surrounding and beneath and adjacent the gratestructure. From the secondary chambers 39 the regulated quantities ofair enter the combustion chamber 4 through the interstices of theinclined sloping stationary oppositely disposed grate bar members I2,IZa.

It will be observed that the described arrangement of the air chambersand the valve control therefor insures the admission of any desired andregulated amount of air for supporting combustion in the incineratorchamber 4 depending upon combustion conditions within said chamber.After the charge of refuse or other material has been completelyincinerated the residue is discharged by manipulation of the dumpinggrate members into and through the hopper 32, after which a fresh chargeof material to be incinerated is admitted through the charging opening 3at the top of the incinerator. As an alternate procedure the combustionwithin the incinerator may be continuous and the dumping grate membersII, I'ia may be independently or simultaneously actuated to dischargethe incinerated material as the same accumulates on the grate members,the feed of fresh material through the charging opening 3 beingregulated in accordance with combustion conditions within the furnace.It will be further apparent that the stationary sloping grate membersI2, I2a insure the movement of the refuse material to the dumping gratemembers I'I, I'Ia, thereby providing for complete evacuation of thecombustion chamber when operating conditions require.

The described incinerator and grate construction provides new and usefulimprovements and economies in the complete combustion and readydischarge of garbage or other materials to be incinerated through agreater dumping grate area while retaining the feature of the fixedgrate structure, provision being made for more convenient discharge ofthe ash and completely burned materials from the fixed grate structure,the regulated admission of air for supporting combustion along thefurnace walls within the furnace, as well as insuring that the materialswithin the combustion chamber are conducted by gravity from the fixedgrate structure to the dumping portion of the grate and the ash hopperfor discharge at the proper intervals. It will also be apparent from theforegoing that arrangement of the grate in oppositely disposed pairs ofdumping grate sections with their pivotal axes parallel and the freeouter downward swinging edges of the sections of the pairs adjacent eachother between the pivotal axes of the pairs, and a surroundingv gratearea of fixed grate bars provides for a relatively large centrallydisposed center dumping grate area which may exceed the doming limit ofthe incinerated charge of garbage and refuse within the incineratorchamber (determined by the size of the incinerator. chamber and theaverage physical condition and angle of repose of the charge), so thatwhen the grate is opened the charge tends to collapse and dump itselfwithout poking, and so that when the grate is closed the load issupported without requiring adaptation of the dumping grate portion totake up the major stresses of the incinerator load, since thesurrounding fixed grate bar area may still transmit the major portion ofsuch stresses directly to the furnace foundation.

In operation, the incinerator charge tends to dome over the dumpinggrate and form a self sustaining arched dome bridging the grate with theends of the arches supported by the stationary grate structure. Thedumping grate area in exceeding the doming limit of the incineratedcharge sustains but a minor portion but an essential portion of theweight of the charge necessary to the support of the dome. When thegrates are opened and their support for the minor portion of the weightof the charge withdrawn from between the two sides of the doming charge,the charge collapses of its own weight and discharges itself withoutpoking; The double dumping grate structure for such purpose has theadvantage over a single dumping grate that these grates of necessity areof great Weight themselves, and were they made as a single grate theweight of the grate itself would be excessive for practical operation.Further, with the large area involved, the leverage exerted by a singlegrate of the length required for the same purpose would be out of allproportion to the advantage attained in exceeding the doming limit,since the eifort re and IQ, inner portion of which is cast integral withthe spaced arms 2 I and also with the levers or arms 26. The arms 2 iomit the adjustment means shown in Figs. 1-5, and are pivotallyconnected directly with the links 24'. The link members 28' are in pairsand these links and the beara ings 2% are beyond the dumping grate, thebearings 26 being directly beneath and suspended from the longitudinalbearing bars 9. In the modification of Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the fixed gratebars are only slightly inclined and on one side only, and the gratestructure is approximately on a level with the dead plate l3 and thebottom of the poker opening 5. The arrangement shown in Figs. 1-5 withthe grate structure below the bottom of the poker opening 5 and with thesteeply inclined fixed grate bars is however preferred for the reasonabove given and for the further reason that by making the horizontalplane of the grate nearer to the floor level 3| below the poker opening5, the operator will not have to bar upwardly with great physicalexertion.

In the modification shown in Fig. 9, the weights 3B are connected withthe roller arm 2!" by a chain 28" attached to a lug 28 on arm 2|" andpassing over a chain guide and support 26". The arms 2 l are providedwith a roller 24 engaging the bottoms of bars 24a on the grate sectionsl1 Ha, to lift the grate. To prevent the arms 24" from raising thegrates too high, the lugs 28" are mounted for movement with arms 2| sothat the lugs 28" will strike against a stopping shoulder 30" whengrates l1, Ila are substantially in horizontal alignment.

The invention as hereinbefore set forth or exemplified, by the aboveillustrative instances, may be variously embodied or practiced withinthe scope of the claims hereinafter made.

What is claimed is:

1. A dumping grate for refuse incinerators, comprising a stationarygrate portion, opposite pairs of dumping grate members hinged adjacentsaid stationary portion for swinging movement relative thereto, a pairof companion rocker shafts one disposed beneath each pair of gratemembers, toggle lever mechanism connecting said shafts respectively withsaid pairs of grate members, a counter-weight lever-means supported byeach of said shafts, the counterweight lever means and their respectivetoggle-lever mechanisms being fixed to their rocker shafts so as toextend in substantially diametrically opposed directions from each otheron opposite sides of the axis of the rocker shaft therefor formaintaining the toggle mechanism extended with the dumping grate membersloaded in closed position and for balancing the grate members in anyunloaded open position of the same, and means for independently rockingsaid shafts to break said toggle mechanism and swing said grate membersto dumping position against the action of said counterweight.

2. A dumping grate for refuse incinerators, comprising a stationarygrate portion, a dumping grate portion hinged adjacent said stationaryportion for swinging movement relative thereto, a rocker shaft disposedbeneath said grate, toggle lever mechanism connecting said shaft withsaid dumping grate portion, a counterweight levermeans supported by saidshaft, the counterweight lever-means and the toggle-lever mechanismbeing fixed to the rocker shaft so as to extend in substantiallydiametrically opposed directions from each other on opposite sides ofthe axis of the rocker shaft for maintaining the toggle mechanismextended with the dumping grate portion loaded in closed position andfor balancing the dumping grate portion in any unloaded open position ofthe same, and means for rocking said shaft to break said togglemechanism and swing said dumping grate portion to dumping position.

3. A dumping grate for incinerator furnaces comprising a stationarygrate portion, opposite pairs of dumping grate members hinged to saidstationary portion for swinging movement relative thereto, a pair ofcompanion rocker shafts one disposed beneath each pair of grate members,toggle lever mechanism connecting said shafts respectively with saidpairs of grate mem bers, means for adjusting said toggle mechanismrelative to said dumping grate members, a plurality of counterweightlevers fixed at spaced intervals along each of said shafts andoperatively connected with each other by counterweight supports andcounterweights therefor, the togglelever mechanism and the counterweightlevers therefor being fixed on the rocker shafts so as to extend insubstantially diametrically opposite directions from each other onopposite sides of the axis of the rocker shaft therefor for balancingthe weight of said grate in any unloaded open position and formaintaining the toggle mechanism extended with the dumping grate membersloaded in closed position, and means for independently rocking saidshafts to break said toggle mechanism and swing said grate members todumping position.

4. In combination with an incinerator furnace having a charging openingand a combustion chamber, a grate device for supporting the bed of fuelto be incinerated in the combustion chamber, said grate devicecomprising an outer marginal fixed grate bar portion marginallysurrounding an inner dumping grate bar portion on all sides, the widthof a fixed marginal grate area at any point on all marginal sides of thedumping grate area being much less than half of the length of the axisof the whole of the dumping grate area at that point and the innerdumping grate bar portion having an overall area sufficiently large toinclude the rest of the length of the longitudinal axis of the gratearea at said points and thereby being adapted to exceed the averagedoming limit of an incinerated charge within the combustion chamber withthe fixed grate structure thereby being adapted to relieve the innerdumping grate portion of the major stresses of the combustion chamberincineration load; and means for actuating the dumping grate portion ofthe grate de vice; the inner dumping grate bar portion being centrallydisposed relative to the fixed grate bar portion and comprisingpivotally mounted downwardly swinging grate bars and being otherwisefree of fuel bed load supporting members that would tend to preventcollapse of the incinerator load upon the downward swing of the dumpinggrate bars, whereby the incinerated materials may be discharged bygravity withdrawal of residual minor part of the required support tomaintain the dome of the charge.

5. In an chamber, a grate device for supporting burning refuse in thecombustion chamber, said grate device comprising a fixed marginal gratestructure and an inner dumping grate portion, the inner dumping grateportion comprising oppositely disposed pairs of dumping grate-barsections pivotally mounted for downward swinging dumping movement, andthe fixed marginal grate structure surrounding the dumping grate portionon all sides and comprising grate bars, the width of a fixed marginalgrate area at any point on all margins of the dumping grate area beingmuch less than half of the length of the axis of the Whole of thedumping grate portion at that point to provide for a large centraldumping area adapted for exceeding the average doming limit ofincinerated charges in the combustion chamber surrounded by fixed gratearea adapted to relieve the doming limit exceeding dumplng grateporincinerator having a combustion tion of the major stresses of theincinerator cham- 75 ber load; the inner dumping grate portion beingotherwise free of fuel-bed load supporting members that would tend toprevent collapse of the incinerator load upon the downward swinging ofthe dumping grate sections.

6. In anincinerator having a combustion chambena grate device forsupporting burning refuse in the combustion chamber, said grate devicecomprising a fixed marginal grate structure and an inner dumping grateportion, the inner dumping grate portion comprising oppositely disposedpairs of dumping grate-bar sections pivotally mounted for downwardswinging dumping movement, and the fixed marginal grate structuresurrounding the dumping grate portion on all sides and comprising gratebars, the width of a fixed marginal grate area at any point on at leastthree-fourths of the marginal sides of the dumping grate portion beingmuch less than half of the lengthof the axis of the whole of the dumpinggrate portion at that point to provide for a large central dumping areaadapted for exceeding the average doming limit of incinerated charges inthe combustion chamber surrounded by fixed grate area adapted to relievethe doming limit exceeding dumping-grate-portion of the major stressesof the incinerator chamber load; the inner dumping grate portion beingotherwise free of fuel-bed load supporting members that would tend toprevent collapse of the incinerator load upon the downward swinging ofthe dumping grate sections.

7. In a refuse incinerator having a combustion chamber, a grate devicefor supporting burning refuse in the combustion chamber, said gratedevice comprising an inner group of oppositely disposed dumping gratesections pivotally mounted for downward swinging dumping movement withthe pivotal axis of the sections parallel and the free outer downwardswinging edges of the sections adjacent each other, and an outer fixedmarginal grate structure surrounding the inner dumping grate area on allsides; the width of a fixed marginal grate area at any point on at leastthree-fourths of the marginal sides of the dumping grate area being muchless than half of the length of the axis of the whole of the dumpinggrate area at that point to adapt the inner dumping area to effectivelyexceed the average dcming limit of incinerated charges and the outerfixed grate area to marginally support the major stresses of theincinerator chamber loads so that when the dumping grate is opened andits support of a minor but essential part of the weight of the charge iswithdrawn the charge may tend to collapse and dump itself withoutsubstantial poking; companion rocker shafts for the dumping gratesections; toggle mechanism on one side of the rocker shafts connectingthe same and the dumping grate sections; counterweight levermeans on theopposite side of the rocker shafts for counterbalancing the gratesections in opening and closing the same; and means for rocking therocker shafts.

THOMAS J. HILER.

